Whao! It looks like Wizkids has updated the Power and Ability cards on for Marvel and DC HeroClix! Some of these changes are very minor, but they all seem to have a huge effect on existing (and future) pieces!

The most exciting thing, in my opinion, is the addition of the AVENGERS INITIATIVE Team Ability, which is essentially Ultimates/Superman Ally. I'm a huge fan of new Team Abilities, and so I'm all sorts of excited to see this!

There's quite a bit to cover, and so here's some of the changes we're noticing right away (special thanks to Dr. Faustin for helping out):

Let's take a look at the MARVEL PAC changes

AVENGERS INITIATIVE Characters using the Avengers Initiative team ability treat hindering terrain as clear terrain for movement and line of fire purposes. (new!)

DEFENDERS Characters using the Defenders team ability may replace their defense value with the unmodified defense value of an adjacent friendly character using the Defenders team ability. (changed "possess" to "use", which benefits Wildcards)POWER COSMIC Characters using the Power Cosmic team ability can use Willpower and their powers cannot be countered. Uncopyable. (changed to "can use", which essentially makes it optional)

Clarification from "WizardID" in the comments below: "The Change to "Can Use" does not make it optional, they are still forced to use Willpower. Now if you look at Willpower that is where the option comes in because it says "May". -- Thanks WizardID!

S.H.I.E.L.D. Adjacent friendly characters modify their range values by +1. Give this character a power action and choose an adjacent friendly character. The chosen character modifies its damage value by +1 while adjacent to this character and making ranged combat attacks this turn. (Big Change)

SINISTER SYNDICATE Characters using the Sinister Syndicate team ability may replace their attack value with the unmodified attack value of an adjacent friendly character using the Sinister Syndicate team ability. (changed "possess" to "use", which benefits Wildcards)

ULTIMATE X-MEN Once per game per character, a character using the Ultimate X-Men team ability may choose one opposing character or all characters possessing a single chosen team ability; this choice can be made only once per game even if the character has used another team ability. When this character attacks a chosen character, modify the chosen character’s defense value by -1. (in the old wording, the attackers attack-value increases by +1)

Let's take a look at the DC PAC changes

OUTSIDERS Give a character using the Outsiders team ability a free action to choose a character (including itself) within 10 squares and line of fire. Until the beginning of your nex turn, the chosen character’s combat values can’t be modified. Uncopyable. (Now a Free Action. Previously you had to use it at the "beginning of your turn")

TITANS When two friendly characters that can use the Titans team ability are adjacent to each other, give one of them a power action and roll a d6. Heal the other character of 1 damage. If the result was 1-4, deal the character given the power action 1 unavoidable damage. (Now works exactly like X-Men TA)

QUINTESSENCE Characters using the Quintessence team ability can use Willpower and their powers cannot be countered. Uncopyable. (changed to "can use", which essentially makes it optional)

Clarification from "WizardID" in the comments below: "The Change to "Can Use" does not make it optional, they are still forced to use Willpower. Now if you look at Willpower that is where the option comes in because it says "May". -- Thanks WizardID!Did I miss anything?

In the QUINTESSENCE and POWER COSMIC change dissent that grant them the ability to use “Willpower” as a power? So they could if they wanted to ignore pushing damage from the use of “Willpower”.

Posted by: 350s10 on 2/18/2012 5:12:32 PM

with the SHIELD TA printed on the character card of the SHIELD Enforcer, any addenda and updates of team abilities suddenly get even more confusing...

Posted by: MikeInMKE on 2/14/2012 10:18:00 AM

dengar: since these are on the heroclix website, I would imagine they take effect now.

Posted by: lordoracle on 2/11/2012 1:44:17 PM

Nice of Wizkids to streamline the TAs for less wildcard confusion. If only they could do something about that IL Team Ability! Action advantage doesn't really do anything in the current playing environment.

Posted by: phep on 2/10/2012 8:34:57 PM

It looks like they changed JSA and Batman enemy to the use instead of possess

Posted by: Jake on 2/10/2012 3:00:35 PM

when do these changes come into effect? guessing avengers one will be for newer figs

Posted by: dengar on 2/10/2012 1:56:04 PM

Oooops...typo...Outsiders was already a free action, but as mentioned, it can now be used at any time and not just during the beginning of your turn.

Posted by: PassingBy on 2/10/2012 1:45:43 PM

Defenders and Ultimate X-Men are also already in the Player's Guide. Sinister Syndicate is there too, but there was a minor wording change that doesn't change game play. Outsiders was already a free action, but as mentioned, it can not be used at any time and not just during the beginning of your turn.

Posted by: PassingBy on 2/10/2012 1:42:51 PM

Also the change to Titans and S.H.I.E.L.D. were previous changes that were already inside the Player's Guide.

Posted by: WizardId on 2/10/2012 11:09:53 AM

The Change to "Can Use" does not make it optional, they are still forced to use Willpower. Now if you look at Willpower that is where the option comes in because it says "May".